promotion

I recently got the chance to talk shop with Ashland Creek Press and discuss how publicists and social media strategists can help authors reach their readers. Hope you find this Q&A helpful!

Changing the world one book at a time

Ashland Creek Press is dedicated to publishing books with a world view. We’re passionate about the environment, animal protection, ecology, and wildlife, and our goal is to publish books that combine these themes with compelling stories.

Our books have received critical acclaim from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, andKirkus Reviews, among others, and have been recognized by national award juries, including the Chautauqua Institution and the Lambda Literary Foundation.

Being you on social media can be hard. Each platform has its own culture, character limits, and best practices. Plus, what do you share? Do you share what’s personal to you? Do you only promote your business?

The first thing to remember is social media is by and large a public space. You do not want to be someone who you are not on social media, nor do you want to post things you can’t take back. At its core, social media is about transparency, information sharing, and engagement. How do you find the right balance between meeting your business needs and being you? Like I tell my clients, it can be done with some patience, time, and consistency.

Here are some tips to help you find your social voice:

Think about it. Decide early on why you want to use social media and which platforms you want to use. For example, you may want to use a personal Facebook page to connect with family and friends and maintain a Twitter account to promote your green business and to connect with others who share your passion for conservation.

Create your bio. Each social media platform provides a space to describe yourself, your interests, and why you are using the platform. Take a look at different social media bios to get a feel for each platform’s tone. Your bio should help you develop your social purpose and voice for each platform you use.

Curate your POV. The posts you share, retweet or repost should help you authentically share your point of view and highlight your personal and/or professional interests. Your social POV should match your social bio.

Be consistent. The more your posts stick to your bio and curated POV, the stronger your connection will be with your social media followers and the greater your ability will be to attract new followers with similar interests.

Before you know it, you will know what you want to share and where you want to share it. And social media users will know why they should follow you and on what platform. Happy engaging!